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Recording artist Katy Perry arrives at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on Sepetember 12, 2010. Image Credit: AFP

Singer Katy Perry has reportedly turned down an offer of $20 million (Dh73.44 million) to be a judge on the new season of singing reality show American Idol.

The show’s producers were so keen to have the 27-year-old pop star on board that they offered her $20 million for a year-long contract, a source said.

“She was being hotly pursued. They really wanted her,” usmagazine.com quoted the source as saying.

But Perry turned them down, and executives continued their search to replace Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler for the new season.

In July, Mariah Carey was officially roped in to judge, accepting an $18 million pay cheque, which made her the highest-paid judge on any music competition show.